Paul Pearson

Paul Pearson is an independent museum consultant specializing in strategic planning and experience design. He recently directed the completion of a capital gallery and exhibition project for the Brooklyn Historical Society. Previously. Mr. Pearson was the Senior VP of Visitor Experience at the Brooklyn Children’s Museum (BCM) where he led interpretive planning and experience development for a 52,000 square-foot capital expansion completed in 2008. Mr. Pearson oversaw the growth of BCM’s exhibition, education and collections initiatives as well as visitor engagement planning, membership and earned income between 1996 and 2009.

Mr. Pearson entered the museum field with South Street Seaport Museum in 1986 as Exhibits Manager, later becoming Curator and Director of Exhibitions. His freelance projects include investigations of audience potential and best practices in program and facility design for a new children’s museum planned in Doha, Qatar; development of environmental studies curriculum for Discovery Education; white papers and concept planning for new museum development in Dubai, UAE; public experience project concepts for Bloomberg, L.P. and other clients.

Mr. Pearson is an alumnus of the Getty Foundation’s Museum Leadership Institute and served as President of the Youth Museum Exhibit Collaborative between 2005 and 2009. Mr. Pearson holds a BS in art and education from St. John’s University (Minnesota) and received MA and MFA degrees from the University of Iowa. Mr. Pearson teaches several courses for the Museum Studies Graduate Program at Johns Hopkins University including Exhibition Strategies, Business of Museums and Exploring Museum Professions.